St. Mary’s Hospital heliport re-opens

After $175,000 in upgrades and approval by Transport Canada, helicopters are once again landing at St. Mary’s Hospital.

The heliport was closed since 2010 due to the hospital’s renovation and reconstruction, along with Transport Canada compliance issues regarding traffic control design. Upgrades to the heliport, which were funded by the provincial government, included removing trees along the flight path and installing traffic control measures along the road surrounding the heliport to ensure pedestrian safety.

During the closure, SMH used the heliport at the nearby Sechelt Airport, so patient care was uninterrupted. Since 2011, close to 350 patients have been safely transported via helicopter.

Now, whenever a helicopter lands or takes off, lights will begin to flash and a traffic/pedestrian barricade will close, ensuring individuals on the ground and in the helicopter are protected. All staff and visitors are required to follow the new traffic control measures.

Special thanks to staff for their patience while the construction was underway.